Posted - 11/18/2013 : 13:35:05 Thought it might be good to point out surprising starts to the season so far. Kessel in 30th points wise, with Grabovski 1 point behind, Sequin at 8th points wise and currently leading Kessel in goals. Scrivens, Sequin and Harding named 3 stars for last week with some guy named Steen (I joke) leading the NHL in scoring. 3 career backups leading in almost all statistical goaltending stats.

Oilers fighting a hard fought battle with Calgary for last place in the west, with Winnipeg and Vancouver sitting just outside a playoff position.

Buffalo, Columbus and Florida fighting it out for worst in the east with Philly, who started out badly, coming on strong, with good goaltending and defense(huh), but anemic scoring? Detroit going on a losing tear after a hot start in the east. Ottawa being inconsistent more than pesky. As of now only 2 Canadian teams Toronto and Montreal sit in a playoff position, but in a funny twist, if Winnipeg 11th in the West, were still in the East, they would sit 7-8th.

If anyone said they could predict the start to this season with Tampa leading the East and Colorado who only recently figured out how to lose a game this season, I would have thought them mad!

14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)

JOSHUACANADA

Posted - 11/25/2013 : 15:23:37 I have no problem agreeing with what you have said here. The only thing holding them back is a few winning veterans and a good run with a goalie. Berra might be that goalie, but they need a good winning run to build faith in this team.

quote:Originally posted by leigh

Thought I'd throw in my Flames surprise at the 1/4 mark. Sean Monahan in contention for Rookie of the Year (Hertl has him beat at the moment) I can't get over the poise of these two guys, you'd think they were long-term veterans. Mind you, vets probably wouldn't try some of the things these guys have been doing because they would know better.

To add to this, 3 of the top 25 rookies in the league are Flames. Perhaps the future is bright for Calgary (yes, rookies are getting lots of ice-time in this rebuild )

leigh

Posted - 11/25/2013 : 13:41:25 Thought I'd throw in my Flames surprise at the 1/4 mark. Sean Monahan in contention for Rookie of the Year (Hertl has him beat at the moment) I can't get over the poise of these two guys, you'd think they were long-term veterans. Mind you, vets probably wouldn't try some of the things these guys have been doing because they would know better.

To add to this, 3 of the top 25 rookies in the league are Flames. Perhaps the future is bright for Calgary (yes, rookies are getting lots of ice-time in this rebuild )

JOSHUACANADA

Posted - 11/23/2013 : 07:57:29 Funny 2 of the things I have been talking about pop up in the cbc website today.

Rumours of the cut ice time for Kessel, but speculation as to why, which mirror what I have been saying injury/poor defensive play, something not right with his game. Interesting is that Grabovski is coming to town with the Capitals for the first time. He has a history of having great games against former teams. It one of the games I have been most looking forward to seeing this year.

JOSHUACANADA

Posted - 11/22/2013 : 16:36:40 But that's also my point in 2 of those games Kessel was pointless and a minus player and outside of his 2 goal game and single goal game he is again pointless and a minus player in 9 games or 12% of the season. He cant seem to find anyone to assist a goal for a very long stretches and is on the ice for goals against. Part of me is thinking he is either struggling, injured or Bozak is very important to Kessels success.

quote:Originally posted by The_Gipper

[quote]Originally posted by JOSHUACANADA

As of last night he has 3 points all goals and a -4 player for the last 9 games or .333 ppg. To me that means he is struggling as he is a ppg player and Toronto is a much improved team than in the past. With Bozak out it makes me wonder if the 2 are related. Maybe Bozak isn't quite as overpaid as some have suggested?

i'd wager it's more to do with the JVR experiment at center, then not having Bozak in the line-up. since they moved JVR back to the wing, both he and Kessel have combined for 4 goals in the last 3 games.

As of last night he has 3 points all goals and a -4 player for the last 9 games or .333 ppg. To me that means he is struggling as he is a ppg player and Toronto is a much improved team than in the past. With Bozak out it makes me wonder if the 2 are related. Maybe Bozak isn't quite as overpaid as some have suggested?

i'd wager it's more to do with the JVR experiment at center, then not having Bozak in the line-up. since they moved JVR back to the wing, both he and Kessel have combined for 4 goals in the last 3 games.

JOSHUACANADA

Posted - 11/22/2013 : 15:06:31 Why did I add the standings? Outside of Buffalo which has a huge hill to climb, no team is really that far behind the last wildcard spot in the east while the gap in the west is far greater. Who is everyone picking to bounce back in playoff contention? Who is the most likely to fall out of it?

Posted - 11/22/2013 : 14:06:24 I brought up Grabovski because of a summer time discussion topic, where there were many poster suggesting Grabo wouldn't find work in the NHL this year and that his production potential was limited. Here is a link to how Grabovski is doing in Washington.

Posted - 11/22/2013 : 11:54:49 As of last night he has 3 points all goals and a -4 player for the last 9 games or .333 ppg. To me that means he is struggling as he is a ppg player and Toronto is a much improved team than in the past. With Bozak out it makes me wonder if the 2 are related. Maybe Bozak isn't quite as overpaid as some have suggested?

quote:Originally posted by slozo

quote:Originally posted by JOSHUACANADA

I will give you that the tandom in Toronto is better than expected, which has me not so taken back when considering Bernier for the Olympics consideration.

I didn't intentionally spell Seguin wrong, but glad it baited you into a response. Its been quiet around here lately, so I am glad it sparked some conversation. Notice you didn't take the bait with Grabovski

I wouldn't go so far to say Kessel has been playing well lately, as he was pointless in the 4 games prior to last nights 2 goal game and a -2 player, actually 1 point a goal in 7 games and -4 during that time. So as of last nights 2 goal performance he is now -3 with 3 points all goals during that span.

Not truthfully shocked by the Oilers as I had predicted the goaltending issue would be an early issue, glad to see the improvement. Shocked to see in Edmonton that goalscoring and special teams has been as big an issue as the goaltending issue. But like I have said for a while now, if your team has no confidence in the last defendor, goaltending, its hard to bring your A game.

Philly was brutal, but don't look now they are on a pretty good tear -5-3-2 and against some pretty good teams too. Don't expect them to basement dwell too much longer.

1 other surprise for me so far has been just how good Dallas has been with what was suppose to be a rebuild or transition year, just how good Bean and Seguin have been. My vote for coach of the year to this point would be for Lindy Ruff. I know they are sitting 5th in the Central but I don't expect them there for long and in the last 10 they are 7-2-1. A little more home luck and I think this team is sitting mid pack for playoff teams.

No points in 4 games doesn't mean not playing well for the year.

Agreed on Dallas - they are a much better team than expected . . . it sure doesn't look like a rebuild there.

"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug

slozo

Posted - 11/21/2013 : 09:05:03

quote:Originally posted by JOSHUACANADA

I will give you that the tandom in Toronto is better than expected, which has me not so taken back when considering Bernier for the Olympics consideration.

I didn't intentionally spell Seguin wrong, but glad it baited you into a response. Its been quiet around here lately, so I am glad it sparked some conversation. Notice you didn't take the bait with Grabovski

I wouldn't go so far to say Kessel has been playing well lately, as he was pointless in the 4 games prior to last nights 2 goal game and a -2 player, actually 1 point a goal in 7 games and -4 during that time. So as of last nights 2 goal performance he is now -3 with 3 points all goals during that span.

Not truthfully shocked by the Oilers as I had predicted the goaltending issue would be an early issue, glad to see the improvement. Shocked to see in Edmonton that goalscoring and special teams has been as big an issue as the goaltending issue. But like I have said for a while now, if your team has no confidence in the last defendor, goaltending, its hard to bring your A game.

Philly was brutal, but don't look now they are on a pretty good tear -5-3-2 and against some pretty good teams too. Don't expect them to basement dwell too much longer.

1 other surprise for me so far has been just how good Dallas has been with what was suppose to be a rebuild or transition year, just how good Bean and Seguin have been. My vote for coach of the year to this point would be for Lindy Ruff. I know they are sitting 5th in the Central but I don't expect them there for long and in the last 10 they are 7-2-1. A little more home luck and I think this team is sitting mid pack for playoff teams.

No points in 4 games doesn't mean not playing well for the year.

Agreed on Dallas - they are a much better team than expected . . . it sure doesn't look like a rebuild there.

"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug

JOSHUACANADA

Posted - 11/20/2013 : 11:22:33 I will give you that the tandom in Toronto is better than expected, which has me not so taken back when considering Bernier for the Olympics consideration.

I didn't intentionally spell Seguin wrong, but glad it baited you into a response. Its been quiet around here lately, so I am glad it sparked some conversation. Notice you didn't take the bait with Grabovski

I wouldn't go so far to say Kessel has been playing well lately, as he was pointless in the 4 games prior to last nights 2 goal game and a -2 player, actually 1 point a goal in 7 games and -4 during that time. So as of last nights 2 goal performance he is now -3 with 3 points all goals during that span.

Not truthfully shocked by the Oilers as I had predicted the goaltending issue would be an early issue, glad to see the improvement. Shocked to see in Edmonton that goalscoring and special teams has been as big an issue as the goaltending issue. But like I have said for a while now, if your team has no confidence in the last defendor, goaltending, its hard to bring your A game.

Philly was brutal, but don't look now they are on a pretty good tear -5-3-2 and against some pretty good teams too. Don't expect them to basement dwell too much longer.

1 other surprise for me so far has been just how good Dallas has been with what was suppose to be a rebuild or transition year, just how good Bean and Seguin have been. My vote for coach of the year to this point would be for Lindy Ruff. I know they are sitting 5th in the Central but I don't expect them there for long and in the last 10 they are 7-2-1. A little more home luck and I think this team is sitting mid pack for playoff teams.

slozo

Posted - 11/20/2013 : 08:26:27 Well, calling him "Sequin", as opposed to "Seguin", is definitely taken as a 'pro-Leaf stance' from this corner! The Kessel thing is a baiting trick though . . . very clearly he's in 18th, was in 6th two weeks ago, and he's playing well. Seguin is playing well in Dallas . . . but besides myself who said he'd fail, most disagreed and don't see this as a huge surprise.

Steen leading in goals is an enormous surprise.Giroux has really struggled, but he was coming off an injury and he has a bit of an out so far for that.

For the Eastern Conference,Tampa Bay is a huge surprise in the positive.So is Toronto's goaltending, the tandem has been lights out so far, and no one really saw it being that particularly awesome (unlikely that it will remain so, but here's hoping).The Rangers were quite disappointing to begin with, but they have picked it up of late.Philly a huge surprise in the negative, didn't see them being this bad.

For the West,I am shocked at the amazing records in general, and especially at Colorado. Anaheim is a close second for me, I thought they'd be life and death to make the playoffs. Phoenix too.

And last but certainly not least, even I - the most pessimistic of Oiler semi-supporters, especially due to Beans - never thought Edmonton would be this bad. On a player to player level, their superstars are SUCKING this year almost across the board (Perron is the only player above expectations, I would say). Well, they pumped their own tires a bit after last night's 7-0 game.

"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug

JOSHUACANADA

Posted - 11/19/2013 : 15:10:26 I agree, starting with a Leafs player and a few that followed was an attempt at getting the ball rolling some. Its been quiet around here lately and if a Kessel is getting beat hard by Sequin post doesn't spark some interest, nothing will

Alex116

Posted - 11/18/2013 : 16:11:36 Careful Joshua....you mentioned Kessel (Leaf) right off the bat, Grabo next (former Leaf), Seguin next (very controversial "should have been" Leaf), then Scrivens (another former Leaf), Seguin again, Harding (no Leaf relation, not sure why you bothered) and finally Steen, a former Leaf who happens to be leading the league in points! You will quickly be deemed to be starting another Leaf thread you HATER!!!!

Surprises for me would include:- Steen's surge to the top of the goal scoring chart on a defense first team.- Hertl's instant success, at least to the level it's already at esp goal scoring wise- Cory Schneider only having 1 win.- TBay leading the east - Frans Nielsen's offensive start, though he's slowed down a bit lately- J. Hudler at a PPG pace in Calgary!- Phoenix being the second highest scoring team in the league- Edm's struggles- C. Giroux's massive struggles- Det on a current 6 game losing streak yet still in the playoffs- Difference between east and west as far as points. Right now, the Canucks sit in 9th in the west with 25 points. The 2nd place team in the east has 25 points!